Electrical connectors are used in a variety of applications to interconnect electrical circuits and devices. One such connector is an F-connector, which is used on most radio frequency (RF) coaxial cables to interconnect TVs, cable TV decoders, VCR/DVD's, hard disk digital recorders, satellite receivers, and other devices. F-connectors generally include a male coaxial cable connector that houses a center conductor (e.g., central wire) and a corresponding female coaxial connector that houses contacts that receive the center conductor. Male coaxial cable connectors typically have a standardized design, generally using a 7/16 inch hex nut as a fastener. The nut has a relatively short (e.g., ⅛ to ¼ inch) length and can be grasped by a person's fingers to be tightened or loosened.
A number of factors, including vibration and thermal cycling, can cause mated male and female F-connectors to loosen and/or separate, resulting in signal loss or degradation of electrical performance. Additionally, when used outdoors, conventional F-connectors can be vulnerable to intrusion by moisture and dust, which can corrode portions connectors can be vulnerable to intrusion by moisture and dust, which can corrode portions of the F-connector (or the cable to which it is attached) or otherwise degrade the performance of the connection.